Evaluation of Product Family Architectures From Multiple Perspectives

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahed Siddique ◽  
Rajeshwar Reddy Adupala
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Assembly Sequence ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Computer Mouse ◽  
Manufacturing Complexity ◽  
Family Evaluation

Specifying components in a product platform and family architecture to support product varieties can be a challenging task for companies. Especially when various viewpoints have to be considered, which include product variety, materials, manufacturing complexity, assembly complexity, average component count commonality, assembly sequence, and late point differentiation. In order to identify or select a product platform and family configuration, evaluation of alternative configurations need to be performed. In this paper several product family evaluation criteria are presented for configuration evaluation. The application of product family configuration evaluation and a design approach is demonstrated using a Computer Mouse family.

A Product Variety Tradeoff Evaluation Method for a Family of Cordless Drill Transmissions

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn G. Conner ◽  
Joseph P. De Kroon ◽  
Farrokh Mistree
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Performance ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Individual Product ◽  
Alternative Product ◽  
Per Se

Abstract In this paper we present the Product Variety Tradeoff Evaluation Method for assessment of alternative product platforms in product family design. The Product Variety Tradeoff Evaluation Method is an attention-directing tool for evaluating tradeoffs between commonality and individual product performance for product platform alternatives with differing levels of commonality. We apply the Product Variety Tradeoff Evaluation Method to a case study in transmission redesign for a family of cordless drills. The emphasis in this paper is placed on the method rather than on the results, per se.

Introduction of a Product Family Penalty Function Using Physical Programming

2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achille Messac ◽  
Michael P. Martinez ◽  
Timothy W. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Penalty Function ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Families ◽  
Physical Programming ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Scaling Parameters ◽  
The Common ◽  
Selection Of

In an effort to increase customization for today’s highly competitive global markets, many companies are looking to product families to increase product variety and shorten product lead-times while reducing costs. The key to a successful product family is the common product platform around which the product family is derived. Building on our previous work in product family design, we introduce a product family penalty function (PFPF) in this paper to aid in the selection of common and scaling parameters for families of products derived from scalable product platforms. The implementation of the PFPF utilizes the powerful physical programming paradigm to formulate the problem in terms of physically meaningful parameters. To demonstrate the proposed approach, a family of electric motors is developed and compared against previous results. We find that the PFPF enables us to properly balance commonality and performance within the product family through the judicious selection of the common parameters that constitute the product platform and the scaling parameters used to instantiate the product family.

Customer Need Driven Function-Behavior Platform Formation

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupesh Kumar ◽  
Venkat Allada
Keyword(s):  
Product Family ◽  
Planning Horizon ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Computer Mouse ◽  
Mapping Process ◽  
Customer Need

Product platform formation has long been considered as an effective method to meet challenges set forth by mass customization. To cater to the changes in customer need driven functional requirements and technological advancements, product platforms have to be robust for a given planning horizon from the manufacturer’s point of view. To date, most of the product platform research is directed towards developing approaches that maximize the usage of common physical structures (such as sub-assemblies and components), amongst product variants. We argue that there is a need to start thinking about platforms at a higher level of abstraction than just at the physical structure level because after all, the physical structures are the end result of the mapping process that starts with the customer needs, cascades to the functional requirements and the behaviors (aka working principle/behavior) that will be used to realize the functions. The Function-Behavior-Structure approach discussed by Gero and Kannengiesser (2003) deals with such an approach. In this paper, we present a methodology called the Function-Behavior Ant Colony Optimization (FB-ACO), to determine a higher abstract level platform at the FB level. The proposed approach can be used to provide critical decisions related to the planning of the advent and egress of a product or the use of a behavior, configuration of the function-behavior platform and the number of such platforms to be considered at a particular time. The FB platform can then be used to develop the detailed design for the family of products under consideration. We demonstrate our proposed approach using the example of a computer mouse product family.

A Product Platform Concept Exploration Method for Product Family Design

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy W. Simpson ◽  
Jonathan R. A. Maier ◽  
Farrokh Mistree
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Customer Requirements ◽  
Global Marketplace ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Concept Exploration ◽  
Per Se

Abstract Today’s highly competitive, global marketplace is redefining the way companies do business. Many companies are being faced with the challenge of providing as much variety as possible for the market with as little variety as possible between products in order to maintain economies of scale while satisfying a wide range of customer requirements. Developing a family of products — a group of related products derived from a common product platform — provides an efficient and effective means to realize sufficient product variety to satisfy a range of customer demands. In this paper the Product Platform Concept Exploration Method (PPCEM) is presented, providing a Method that facilitates the synthesis and Exploration of a common Product Platform Concept that can be scaled into an appropriate family of products. As an example, the PPCEM is employed to design a family of universal electric motors that are also compared against a benchmark group of individually designed motors. The focus in this paper, however, is on the PPCEM and not on the results, per se.

Identification of Platform Variables in Product Family Design Using Sensitivity Analysis

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad Hume ◽  
David W. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Performance ◽  
Constructal Theory ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

Product family design strategies based on a common core platform have emerged as an efficient and effective means of providing product variety. The main goal in product platform design is to maximize internal commonality within the family while managing the inherent loss in product performance. Therefore, identification and selection of platform variables is a key aspect when designing a family of products. Based on previous research, the Product Platform Constructal Theory Method (PPCTM) provides a systematic approach for developing customizable products, while allowing for multiple levels of commonality, multiple product specifications, and balancing the tradeoffs between commonality and performance. However, selection of platform variables and the modes for managing product variety are not guided by a systematic process in this method. When developing a platform with more than a few variables, a quantitative method is needed for selecting the optimal platform variable hierarchy. In this paper we present an augmented PPCTM which includes sensitivity analysis of platform variables, such that hierarchical rank is conducted based on the impact of the variables on the product performance. This method is applied to the design of a line of customizable finger pumps.

scholarly journals A New Method to Assess Platform Changes Over Successive Generations of Product Variants from Multiple Design Perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2931-2940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Foo Shing Wong ◽  
David C. Wynn
Keyword(s):  
Product Family ◽  
New Method ◽  
Manufacturing Processes ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Platform Design ◽  
Assembly Time ◽  
New Variant ◽  
Successive Generations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Family Evaluation

AbstractThis paper introduces a new method to help designers assess the impact of changes to a product platform when introducing a new variant. The method evaluates a platform design by investigating how changing some components will impact other platform design perspectives such as material, function, manufacturing processes and assembly time. To assess the usefulness of this method, it was applied to assess platform changes resulting from successive generations of scanner heads from two manufacturers. The method indicated that one manufacturer improved their scanner head design by improving the functionality of its components and assembly time. Whereas, the other manufacturer's new scanner head used more material and manufacturing processes without benefiting other design perspectives. Compared to existing product family evaluation methods which focus only on maximising commonality between product variants, the proposed method considers potential platform design improvements and assesses them from multiple design perspectives before deciding on reusing existing components or implementing the new design. The information from this method will also complement existing commonality indices.

Data-Driven Function Network Analysis for Product Platform Planning: A Case Study of Spherical Rolling Robots

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binyang Song ◽  
Jianxi Luo ◽  
Rajesh Elara Mohan ◽  
Kristin L. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Economy Of Scale ◽  
Product Systems ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Economy Of Scope

A properly designed product-system platform can reduce the cost and lead-time to design and develop a product family and thus achieve the tradeoff between economy of scope from product variety and economy of scale from platform sharing. Traditionally, product platform planning uses heuristic and manual approaches and relies on expertise and intuition. In this paper, we propose a data-driven method to draw the boundary of a platform, complementing other platform design approaches and assisting designers in the architecting process. The method generates a network of functions through relationships of their co-occurrences in prior designs of a product domain, and uses a network analysis algorithm to identify an optimal core-periphery structure. Functions identified in the network core co-occur cohesively and frequently with one another in prior designs, and thus are suggested for inclusion in the potential platform to be shared across a variety of product-systems with peripheral functions. We apply the method to identifying the platform functions for spherical rolling robots, based on patent data.

Product Family Design to Minimize Manufacturing Complexity in Mixed-Model Assembly Systems

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
He Wang ◽  
Xiaowei Zhu ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Zhongqin Lin ◽  
Guanlong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Model ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Assembly Systems ◽  
Paradigm Change ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Family Selection ◽  
Relative Complexity ◽  
Manufacturing Complexity ◽  
Mixed Model Assembly

The number of product varieties offered by manufacturers has increased drastically as a result of the paradigm change from mass production to mass customization. High product variety introduces complexity in manufacturing. In this paper, we discuss product family design to minimize manufacturing complexity in manual, mixed-model assembly systems. A concept of relative complexity is proposed to help system designers making decisions on product family selection. Based on the relative complexity, a model for product variety selection is then proposed to find the best combination of product variants to be provided to the market in order to maximize market share and minimize manufacturing complexity. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the approach.

Product Family Architecture Reasoning

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahed Siddique ◽  
Rajeshwar Reddy Adupala
Keyword(s):  
Product Family ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Architecture Design ◽  
Product Families ◽  
Multiple Viewpoints ◽  
Evaluation Scores ◽  
Product Function ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Product Family Architecture

Specifying the product platform and family architecture to support product varieties can be a challenging task for companies. Especially when various viewpoints have to be considered which include product variety, materials, manufacturing complexity, assembly complexity, average component count commonality, assembly sequence and late point differentiation. Consequently there is a need for reasoning to balance multiple viewpoints in the case of product families for the development of good architecture. In this paper we present a product family architecture design approach that can be applied to develop efficient product family architectures for a given set of product functions, while considering multiple viewpoints. In order to identify the efficient product family architecture(s) a three phase approach is presented: (1) Generating a set of feasible module architectures of options for each product function; (2) Combining the feasible module architectures and evaluating the product family architectures to identify candidate product family architectures with high evaluation scores; and (3) Improving the selected product family architecture. The product family architecture design approach is demonstrated using a coffeemaker product family.

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